Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Synopsis

International bestselling author Santa Montefiore continues the story of the Deverill family in the third book in her beautiful and moving Deverill Chronicles trilogy—perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Beatriz Williams

1939: Peace has flourished since the Great War ended, but much has changed for the Deverill family as now a new generation is waiting in the wings to make their mark.

When Martha Wallace leaves her home in America to search for her birth mother in Dublin, she never imagines that she will completely lose her heart to the impossibly charming JP Deverill. But more surprises are in store for her after she discovers that her mother comes from the same place as JP, sealing her fate.

Bridie Doyle, now Countess di Marcantonio and mistress of Castle Deverill, is determined to make the castle she used to work in her home. But just as she begins to feel things are finally going her way, her flamboyant husband Cesare has other ideas. As his eye strays away from his wife, those close to the couple wonder if he really is who he says he is.

Kitty Deverill has come to accept her life with her husband Robert, and their two children. But then Jack O’Leary, the love of her life, returns to Ballinakelly. And this time his heart belongs elsewhere.

As long-held secrets come to light, the Deverills will have to heal old wounds and come to terms with the past if they hope to ensure their legacy for the future.

What Did I Think About the Story?

I doubt anyone has noticed but I've actually not been participating in blog tours for a number of months. It absolutely has everything to do with me having too much on my plate and nothing to do with any problems I've ever had with a blog tour, but there you are. I've been trying to take my time and just read what I want to read when I want to read it...it's been glorious! That being said, when I got the email that TLC Book Tours was offering up the final book in the Castle Deverill trilogy I knew I'd have to break my own promise to myself and sign up! I really enjoyed the first two books in the series and I just had to find out how the storylines for our various characters would play out.The Secret of the Irish Castle picks up right where The Daughters of Ireland left off. Montefiore did an excellent job of filling in the events of the previous novels for those that did not read them while also advancing the storyline into new and often unexpected and devastating places. I will give it to the author, she is not afraid of putting her characters through the wringer and really making them suffer and sacrifice!

I won't say too much about the events within the story (what would be the fun in that?) but I will say that Montefiore brings this world of violent and windswept hills and passionate people to vivid life. She has such a lyrical way of writing so you can't help but picture everything right in front of you, making you feel like you are witnessing the events unfolding more than simply reading about it. It really is beautiful. Add in the paragraphs about the original Lord Deverill and the O'Leary woman who put a curse on his descendants, as well as the lovely snippets from the Deverill ghosts still living in the castle, and you've got a fascinating story that begs you to keep turning the pages just to see what you might discover next.

The storylines of the characters do wrap up in a satisfying way, with many being at least content if not happy and a few bittersweet endings thrown in for balance. What the majority of these characters come to realize is that forgiveness and love is the only way to find everlasting happiness, which is really a beautiful concept if you think about it. While I know this is meant to be a trilogy enough is left open that it could easily continue with at least one more book, especially given the fact that the new generation of Deverill and O'Leary descendants have quite a bit more to contribute. I, for one, will definitely be first in line to read any future books the author might write in this series!

What Did I Think About the Cover?

Like all other covers in this series this one is a beauty! I love the set up - with the traveling woman (which could be any number of our characters) staring across at that gorgeous castle - and the saturated colors just scream "Ireland!" to me. Simply stunning!

My Rating: 4.5/5.0

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and HarperCollins for a free copy of The Secret of the Irish Castle in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine alone. Be sure to continue below for more information about the book, the author, and the rest of the blog tour!

Buy the Book

About the Author

Santa Montefiore was born in England. She went to Sherborne School for Girls in Dorset and studied Spanish and Italian at Exeter University. She has written sixteen bestselling novels, which have been translated into thirty different languages and have sold more than two million copies worldwide.

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Synopsis

An unspeakable crime. A confounding investigation. At a time when the King brand has never been stronger, he has delivered one of his most unsettling and compulsively readable stories.

An eleven-year-old boy’s violated corpse is found in a town park. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City’s most popular citizens. He is Terry Maitland, Little League coach, English teacher, husband, and father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland once coached, orders a quick and very public arrest. Maitland has an alibi, but Anderson and the district attorney soon add DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. Their case seems ironclad.

As the investigation expands and horrifying answers begin to emerge, King’s propulsive story kicks into high gear, generating strong tension and almost unbearable suspense. Terry Maitland seems like a nice guy, but is he wearing another face? When the answer comes, it will shock you as only Stephen King can.

What Did I Think About the Story?

I always know when I pick up a Stephen King novel that I'm in for a hell of a wild ride. The Outsider is no different, taking this graphic and horrific murder in small town America and turning it on it's head with a supernatural element that I couldn't have guessed at if I tried.

The story initially presented seems impossible: a much beloved local hero is accused of viciously murdering and violating a boy, something that seems to be backed up by eyewitness testimony and DNA evidence no matter how much the accused swears he didn't do it and that he was actually out of town at the time. Then video corroborating his story shows up. How is this possible? How can a man seemingly be in two places at once? Here begins the real fun as Detective Ralph Anderson and others work to decipher what went on and who the real killer is. I won't say anything else about the plot as this is definitely one you'll want to see unfold for yourself.

I listened to this story as an audiobook and I think the narrator (Will Patton) did a good job of keeping the tension tight and the listener engaged throughout the many twists and turns the story took. He also did a great job of changing his voice to differentiate between characters and to give us some particularly unique voices, especially Holly Dibney, a character who appears in other installments of this "Finders Keepers" series. I actually didn't even realize this was part of a series until after I read The Outsider, but I've now added the rest of the series to my listening lineup. And Will Patton is again the narrator, so that's a wonderful surprise!

The Outsider has quite a lot more interesting aspects that I want to discuss but I'm wary to do so in case I give anything away. Just know that it's graphic at times but also filled with really interesting and relatable characters. The supernatural aspect is delicious and really takes this story down an unusual road that's entertaining to say the least. If you are already a fan of Stephen King's novels you will most likely really enjoy this one as well.

What Did I Think About the Cover?

It's definitely unsettling! It's also intriguing to see the world turned on it's head, making someone just picking it up wonder why that might be, and why the man's shadow has red eyes. Simple but effective for sure!

My Rating: 4.0/5.0

I borrowed a copy of the audiobook version of The Outsider from my library's Overdrive account. All opinions are mine alone. To find more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, see Goodreads HERE.

Thursday, September 6, 2018

Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful!

One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at Historical Fiction Reader, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.

So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....

This is such a cool cover! There's so much texture and the saturation of color makes everything pop. I love the hands pulling up the red curtain and the way it not only crinkles up the curtain but the title as well...just really eye catching!

You can find out more about the story behind this cover by reading the synopsis....

In this riveting novel from The New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Architect, a man in disgrace finds that digging up the past is the only road he can take

Architect Douglas Layton has lost everything. The balcony of one of his beautiful music halls collapsed during a packed performance, killing dozens. Layton knows the flaw was not in his design; someone else must have caused the dreadful catastrophe. But with no proof and a hoard of furious Londoners screaming for blood, someone has to take the fall-and Layton finds himself facing a five-year prison sentence.

When he is finally freed, Layton is determined to start over. With a new name and identity, he takes a job as a set painter. But as Layton begins to discover dead bodies hidden within theatre halls across London, it soon becomes clear that something darker is chasing him. When he unearths a clue that ties the bodies to the disaster that ruined him, he knows that redemption is within his reach…unless the culprit gets to him first.

Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):

Friday, August 31, 2018

If you're anything like me you've got a book wish list so long there is no way you will ever be able to read through it all. And, on top of that, it's never ending because you just can't stop adding more books to it! To try and organize myself I'm sharing 5 books from my wish list that I'm most excited to get to, usually with a common theme, on the last Friday of each month. I know a number of excellent bloggers who will be doing similar posts and I'll be sure to link to their posts as well so you can see all the goodies we're excited about and, hopefully, add a few new books to your own wish list. I'll also link the titles to Goodreads where you can read reviews and find the various ways to purchase a copy of the books if they sound like your style. I really hope you enjoy and let me know if you've read any of these or have others you would add to the list.

This month I decided to share 5 books that sound amazing and that will be releasing before the end of the year. I so often find myself looking ahead to 2019 already and forgetting that there are still a ton of great books coming out in 2018. So here's to the rest of this year...there's still lots of excitement to come!

The breathtaking story of five brothers who bring each other up in a world run by their own rules. As the Dunbar boys love and fight and learn to reckon with the adult world, they discover the moving secret behind their father’s disappearance. At the center of the Dunbar, family is Clay, a boy who will build a bridge—for his family, for his past, for greatness, for his sins, for a miracle. The question is, how far is Clay willing to go? And how much can he overcome?

Miss Eleanor Sheffield is a talented evaluator of antiquities, trained to know the difference between a genuine artifact and a fraud. But with her father’s passing and her uncle’s decline into dementia, the family business is at risk. In the Victorian era, unmarried Eleanor cannot run Sheffield Brothers alone.

The death of a longtime client, Baron Lydney, offers an unexpected complication when Eleanor is appointed the temporary trustee of the baron’s legendary collection. She must choose whether to donate the priceless treasures to a museum or allow them to pass to the baron’s only living son, Harry—the man who broke Eleanor’s heart.

Eleanor distrusts the baron’s motives and her own ability to be unbiased regarding Harry’s future. Harry claims to still love her and Eleanor yearns to believe him, but his mysterious comments and actions fuel her doubts. When she learns an Italian beauty accompanied him on his return to England, her lingering hope for a future with Harry dims.

With the threat of debtor’s prison closing in, Eleanor knows that donating the baron’s collection would win her favor among potential clients, saving Sheffield Brothers. But the more time she spends with Harry, the more her faith in him grows. Might Harry be worthy of his inheritance, and her heart, after all? As pressures mount and time runs out, Eleanor must decide whom she can trust—who in her life is false or true, brass or gold—and what is meant to be treasured. ﻿

For fans of All the Light We Cannot See, Beneath a Scarlet Sky, and The Nightingale comes an emotionally gripping, beautifully written historical novel about extraordinary hope, redemption, and one man’s search for light during the darkest times of World War II.

Germany, 1942. Franciscan friar Anton Starzmann is stripped of his place in the world when his school is seized by the Nazis. He relocates to a small German hamlet to wed Elisabeth Herter, a widow who seeks a marriage—in name only—to a man who can help raise her three children. Anton seeks something too—atonement for failing to protect his young students from the wrath of the Nazis. But neither he nor Elisabeth expects their lives to be shaken once again by the inescapable rumble of war.

As Anton struggles to adapt to the roles of husband and father, he learns of the Red Orchestra, an underground network of resisters plotting to assassinate Hitler. Despite Elisabeth’s reservations, Anton joins this army of shadows. But when the SS discovers his schemes, Anton will embark on a final act of defiance that may cost him his life—even if it means saying goodbye to the family he has come to love more than he ever believed possible.

Marion Zetland lives with her domineering older brother, John in a decaying Georgian townhouse on the edge of a northern seaside resort. A timid spinster in her fifties who still sleeps with teddy bears, Marion does her best to shut out the shocking secret that John keeps in the cellar.

Until, suddenly, John has a heart attack and Marion is forced to go down to the cellar herself and face the gruesome truth that her brother has kept hidden.

As questions are asked and secrets unravel, maybe John isn't the only one with a dark side.

A woman is forced to question her own identity in this riveting and emotionally charged thriller by the blockbuster bestselling author of The Good Girl, Mary Kubica

Jessie Sloane is on the path to rebuilding her life after years of caring for her ailing mother. She rents a new apartment and applies for college. But when the college informs her that her social security number has raised a red flag, Jessie discovers a shocking detail that causes her to doubt everything she’s ever known.

Finding herself suddenly at the center of a bizarre mystery, Jessie tumbles down a rabbit hole, which is only exacerbated by grief and a relentless lack of sleep. As days pass and the insomnia worsens, it plays with Jessie’s mind. Her judgment is blurred, her thoughts are hampered by fatigue. Jessie begins to see things until she can no longer tell the difference between what’s real and what she’s only imagined.

Meanwhile, twenty years earlier and two hundred and fifty miles away, another woman’s split-second decision may hold the key to Jessie’s secret past. Has Jessie’s whole life been a lie or have her delusions gotten the best of her?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Check out these lovely blogs for more books to add to your wish list(updated as they become available):

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful!

One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at Historical Fiction Reader, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.

So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....

Isn't this a great cover to sort of wrap up the summer months? It has so many components I find eye-catching: an old, musty book, a beautifully decorated china cup and saucer, and a fuzzy yet bright and GORGEOUS landscape of what I can only guess is somewhere in Britain. It's just bright and full of promise!

Keep reading to find out what readers have in store when they turn this cover over and start reading the story behind it....

A heart-warming story about secrets between four generations of women and the healing power of books, love and friendship.

The Garden Café, in the town of Lissbeg on Ireland's Finfarran Peninsula, is a place where plans are formed and secrets shared ...But Jazz - still reeling from her father's disclosures about the truth of his marriage to her mother, Hanna - has more on her mind than the comings and goings at the café. Now isolated from friends and family and fixating on her new job at a local guesthouse, she's started to develop feelings for a man who is strictly off limits . . .Meanwhile Hanna, Lissbeg's librarian, is unaware of the turmoil in her daughter's life - until her ex-husband Malcolm makes an appearance and she begins to wonder if the secrets she's carried for him might have harmed Jazz more than she'd realised.

As things heat up in Lissbeg, can the old book Hanna finds buried in her own clifftop garden help Jazz?

Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Synopsis

From New York Times bestselling author Kristina McMorris comes another unforgettable novel inspired by a stunning piece of history.

2 CHILDREN FOR SALE

The scrawled sign, peddling young siblings on a farmhouse porch, captures the desperation sweeping the country in 1931. It's an era of breadlines, bank runs, and impossible choices.

For struggling reporter Ellis Reed, the gut-wrenching scene evokes memories of his family's dark past. He snaps a photograph of the children, not meant for publication. But when the image leads to his big break, the consequences are devastating in ways he never imagined.

Haunted by secrets of her own, secretary Lillian Palmer sees more in the picture than a good story and is soon drawn into the fray. Together, the two set out to right a wrongdoing and mend a fractured family, at the risk of everything they value.

Inspired by an actual newspaper photo that stunned readers across the nation, this touching novel explores the tale within the frame and behind the lens -- a journey of ambition, love and the far-reaching effects of our actions.

What Did I Think About the Story?

This is my third Kristina McMorris novel and what I've learned from reading her books is that she can tell one hell of a gripping and heartbending story that involves the innocence of children and some interesting point in history, pulling you in and refusing to let you go until the very end. In this particular story we see the kinds of consequences that can result from what seems an innocent action and the horrific and often cruel things that can be done to people, especially children, when they don't have the resources or abilities to help themselves. It breaks your heart but then stitches it back together with a lovely ending filled with hope for the future. It's simply put a great read!

Sold on a Monday starts with a short chapter taking place after the main events of the story have already unfolded and the life-altering consequences have happened. We don't know exactly who's involved or what exactly happened, but we know it was terrible, causing bodily harm or death to at least one person. One of our main characters, Lily, is going to go back and tell us all the events that led here, all starting with one innocent photo. This beginning had me quickly turning the pages to see what exactly happened and how our characters could have possibly gotten here. The whole story is fully of action and drama, circling back around to this point in time and leaving me feeling quite satisfied with the ending.

I think my favorite aspect of the story would be learning about this quite unruly time in history and how what was going on in the greater world affected these characters. The year is 1931 and the country is dealing with Prohibition, mobsters, and hard times for many. Children are working dangerous jobs in mines, or ending up in orphanages or being sold when their parents can no longer take care of them for a number of reasons. Worse than that, some children are even being bought to be used as labor, a forced slavery being done "legally" under the guise of adoption, something I did not know had happened. Both our main characters, Lily and Ellis, are trying desperately to keep their jobs and advance in journalism when it's anything but easy to do. And, in Lily's case, she has to also deal with the lack of respect for woman and what they could do that was inherent during this time period. With so little work out there for people they have to do whatever they can to keep their jobs in order to survive. It's both an exciting and a violent time and I very much enjoyed navigating it with these characters.

I don't want to say too much more about the story in particular as not to give it away, but just know that it's touching and sweet and devastating and so many more things. There's a little bit of everything for readers to enjoy - from action to drama to romance to history - and the author even includes an author's note in the back that explains the picture that drove her to write this story. I'm always amazed when I can learn something new when reading historical fiction, especially set so recently in history, and I'm happy to say Kristina McMorris opened my eyes to things that I had no idea were going on. I now want to read more about it and that is always a great sign of a good historical fiction novel. Highly recommend!

What Did I Think About the Cover?

It's heartbreaking, as is the story. I really think it's a great move to have the face hidden from view, making this young child representative of the unknown many who went through similarly horrible events. It's perfect for this story.

My Rating:4.5/5.0

I won a copy of Sold on a Monday in a giveaway on the author's Facebook page. Thank you, Kristina McMorris! All opinions are mine alone. To find more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, see Goodreads HERE.

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful!

One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at Historical Fiction Reader, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.

So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....

Like last week's pick this week's cover is gorgeous for it's soft focus and colors. While I can't say that it tells me anything about the story within I do think it's stunningly arranged and definitely something I'd want to learn more about.

Shall we read the synopsis to hear what the story is about? I say we shall....

Set in New England over three generations, THE LATECOMERS mixes the world of Colm Tóibín's Brooklyn with the sweeping family sagas of Christina Baker Kline.

In 1908, sixteen-year-old Bridey runs away from her small town in Ireland with her same-age sweetheart Thom. But when Thom dies suddenly of ship fever on their ocean crossing, Bridey finds herself alone and pregnant in a strange new world.

Forced by circumstance to give up the baby for adoption, Bridey finds work as a maid for the Hollingworth family at a lavish, sprawling estate. It's the dawn of a new century: innovative technologies are emerging, women's roles are changing, and Bridey is emboldened by the promise of a fresh start. She cares for the Hollingworth children as if they were her own, until a mysterious death changes Bridey and the household forever. For decades, the terrible secrets of Bridey's past continue to haunt the family. And in the present day, after a strange blue bottle is found hidden beneath old wallpaper, the youngest Hollingworth makes a connection that finally brings these dark ghost stories into the light.

Told in interweaving timelines and rich with detailed history, romance and dark secrets, Helen Klein Ross' THE LATECOMERS spans a century of America life and reminds us all that we can never truly leave the past behind.

Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Synopsis

A deliciously disturbing, compulsively readable debut domestic suspense--prepare to meet The Other Woman: there’s nothing she won’t do to keep you away from her son ...

Emily thinks Adam’s perfect; the man she thought she’d never meet.

But lurking in the shadows is a rival; a woman who shares a deep bond with the man she loves.

Emily chose Adam, but she didn’t choose his mother Pammie. There’s nothing a mother wouldn’t do for her son, and now Emily is about to find out just how far Pammie will go to get what she wants: Emily gone forever.

The Other Woman is an addictive, fast-paced psychological thriller about the destructive relationship between Emily, her boyfriend Adam, and his manipulative mother Pammie.

What Did I Think About the Story?

Oh my oh my oh my...what will we ever do with Pammie? She truly is the mother-in-law every woman has nightmares about and one, thankfully, most people never have to deal with. She's manipulative, sneaky, and just plain mean and, while things are definitely not exactly as they seem for much of the novel, she does make Emily's life a living hell from the moment she enters it. So is all the vitriol between these two women worth a read? Most definitely! Does it live up to the designation of a "fast-paced psychological thriller"? Well, yes and no.

What I initially enjoyed about this story was how, if not relatable than understandable, the story begins. While most women don't end up going down this terror ride of a relationship with their soon-to-be mother-in-laws, I think many can relate to at least experiencing themselves or witnessing some sort of rocky encounters with them. There is one encounter in particular - where Pammie purposely leaves Emily out of "family pictures" to make her feel like an outsider - that I can particularly relate to. However, thankfully, most mother- and daughter-in-laws find some sort of healthy balance between loving their shared human and not stepping into each other's territory. Well, not in this case! Pammie cranks it up to unimaginable heights, all the while making it seem like Emily is the mean/crazy one and somehow keeping Adam believing she's the one being wronged. Herein lies my problem: as the deception continues to grow so did my frustration with these characters, especially Emily.

As Pammie continued to ramp up her campaign against Emily, Emily continued to seem surprised and disappointed by what was being thrown at her and at a complete lose at what to do. Really, Emily? I kept wanting to scream at her "set up a camera or record your conversations so you have proof against her!!". Or, probably even more to the point of things, "demand your fiancée, who professes to love you over all things, support you more or get out!". She kept either letting mean things slide or trying to catch Pammie out and failing horribly and it just became too much to believe. She also acted like something of a doormat for Adam and forgave him every infraction until she clearly presented herself as all talk with so very little action.

Now, there is a twist in the last few pages that I kind of saw coming but still enjoyed. While it did end up explaining a lot of what happened in the rest of the story it still felt somewhat far-fetched. There are so many better ways the characters could have handled the situation that would have resulted in less hurt (mentally, emotionally, and physically) for just about everyone involved. I do get that this would not have made as interesting or "thrilling" a story but it would have definitely made it more believable.

The Other Woman was definitely a ride through crazy town and (sort of) back out again. While not filled with overly sympathetic or relatable characters I still couldn't help but keep reading how far they would all go to get what they wanted. Given the crazy antics in this story I'm really excited to see what the author might come up with next!

What Did I Think About the Cover?

The cover on the advance copy I received is a little darker around the edges but still focuses on this wedding dress in the window. It's a nice image - representing what should be a happy time for our couple - but I prefer the darkness of my cover to really show that malevolence lurking just at the edges. On this cover I like the slash running through "other", giving me, at least, that same sense of malice. It's a nice cover over all.

My Rating: 4.0/5.0

I received an ARC (advanced reader copy) of The Other Woman from Minotaur Books. All opinions are mine alone. For more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, see Goodreads HERE.

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful!

One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at Historical Fiction Reader, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.

So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....

First off, I love the soft focus of this cover, with the dark border along the top drawing your eyes down. Given the barbed wire (perfectly framing the title, I might add) and airplanes in the top right hand corner you get the sense that this is a novel of war, with the clothes of the two women making me think it is probably set during WWII. I love when a cover can express for the potential reader what sort of story they might find within! This is definitely a cover I'd snatch up in a minute!

Let's see how close my assessment of the cover is to what the story is really about....

A stunning novel of conviction, friendship, and betrayal from Monica Hesse, the Edgar Award-winning and bestselling author of Girl in the Blue Coat

It's 1944, and World War II is raging across Europe and the Pacific. The war seemed far away from Margot in Iowa and Haruko in Colorado--until they were uprooted to dusty Texas, all because of the places their parents once called home: Germany and Japan.

Haruko and Margot meet at the high school in Crystal City, a "family internment camp" for those accused of colluding with the enemy. The teens discover that they are polar opposites in so many ways, except for one that seems to override all the others: the camp is changing them, day by day and piece by piece. Haruko finds herself consumed by fear for her soldier brother and distrust of her father, who she knows is keeping something from her. And Margot is doing everything she can to keep her family whole as her mother's health deteriorates and her rational, patriotic father becomes a man who distrusts America and fraternizes with Nazis.

With everything around them falling apart, Margot and Haruko find solace in their growing, secret friendship. But in a prison the government has deemed full of spies, can they trust anyone--even each other?

Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Synopsis

From the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of NOS4A2 and Heart-Shaped Box comes a chilling novel about a worldwide pandemic of spontaneous combustion that threatens to reduce civilization to ashes and a band of improbable heroes who battle to save it, led by one powerful and enigmatic man known as the Fireman.

The fireman is coming. Stay cool.

No one knows exactly when it began or where it originated. A terrifying new plague is spreading like wildfire across the country, striking cities one by one: Boston, Detroit, Seattle. The doctors call it Draco Incendia Trychophyton. To everyone else it’s Dragonscale, a highly contagious, deadly spore that marks its hosts with beautiful black and gold marks across their bodies—before causing them to burst into flames. Millions are infected; blazes erupt everywhere. There is no antidote. No one is safe.

Harper Grayson, a compassionate, dedicated nurse as pragmatic as Mary Poppins, treated hundreds of infected patients before her hospital burned to the ground. Now she’s discovered the telltale gold-flecked marks on her skin. When the outbreak first began, she and her husband, Jakob, had made a pact: they would take matters into their own hands if they became infected. To Jakob’s dismay, Harper wants to live—at least until the fetus she is carrying comes to term. At the hospital, she witnessed infected mothers give birth to healthy babies and believes hers will be fine too. . . if she can live long enough to deliver the child.

Convinced that his do-gooding wife has made him sick, Jakob becomes unhinged, and eventually abandons her as their placid New England community collapses in terror. The chaos gives rise to ruthless Cremation Squads—armed, self-appointed posses roaming the streets and woods to exterminate those who they believe carry the spore. But Harper isn’t as alone as she fears: a mysterious and compelling stranger she briefly met at the hospital, a man in a dirty yellow fire fighter’s jacket, carrying a hooked iron bar, straddles the abyss between insanity and death. Known as The Fireman, he strolls the ruins of New Hampshire, a madman afflicted with Dragonscale who has learned to control the fire within himself, using it as a shield to protect the hunted . . . and as a weapon to avenge the wronged.

In the desperate season to come, as the world burns out of control, Harper must learn the Fireman’s secrets before her life—and that of her unborn child—goes up in smoke.

What Did I Think About the Story?

At this point, if you follow my blog at all, you are probably aware that I've become somewhat of a fangirl of Joe Hill. Over the last year or so I've been trying to read my way through his novels, short stories, and his comic book series (seriously, I'll say it again, listen to the audiobook of Locke and Key for the best audiobook I've still ever listened to), and if I haven't yet experienced them all I've at least purchased copies to read when I can. With all this being said I've now got pretty high hopes for any of his work I pick up, which can sometimes be a good thing and can sometimes lead to disappointment. Well, I'm happy to say that, with The Fireman, he exceeded everything I was expecting and gave me my favorite of his novels yet.

The synopsis above gives a pretty good overview of what the novel is about. What it doesn't describe is how well thought out and drawn this apocalyptic world Harper finds herself in is, with people reacting and acting just as you'd probably imagine. The world becomes a burning nightmare, full of scared people made vicious and often heartless by this fear, or simply by the fact that they are now able to let their inner monsters out without fear of reprisals. Balanced against this are a few people who stay true to at least part of their goodness, trying to survive without succumbing to the evilness around them. It's all just a completely immersive experience that is simply terrifying for how real it feels and how easily you could see something like this happening (at least the people's reactions).

All of the characters, whether you like them or not, are phenomenal as well. Harper, in particular, was a favorite. She's somehow gritty and mild-mannered at the same time...think of a Disney character as written by a horror novelist. She loves to sing and keep positive and find the light at the end of each tunnel, even when it's obscured by fire and smoke. She is determined to find a safe place for her baby at any cost, all while also retaining her humanity as much as possible. Even the spore itself becomes its own character, controlling it's hosts and making many of them display a mob-like behavior as a sort of mechanism for survival. We get to learn so much about this spore, along with all of the characters, that I couldn't help but be completely invested in how this madness could possibly end (which I found pretty realistic and somewhat sad).

The Fireman is a hefty tome of realistic terror and one that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. At it's core it is an epic journey of one woman's search for a safe place for her child and the remarkable people (good and bad) that she encounters along the way. It's full of hope, humor, horror, and sadness. It's a look at humanity, as well as the loss of it, and the idea that, no matter how hard life gets, it can continue with a lot of determination and a little bit of singing. Highly recommend!

What Did I Think About the Cover?

It's absolutely perfect for this story. Clearly the fire shown is prevalent and important to the overall story (I especially love the charred outlines) and I love how it is incorporated throughout the cover, including in the title and the author's name.

My Rating: 5.0/5.0

I purchased a copy of The Fireman for my own library. All opinions are mine alone. To find more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, see Goodreads HERE.

Synopsis

Beneath the water the body sank rapidly. She would lie still and undisturbed for many years but above her on dry land, the nightmare was just beginning.

When Detective Erika Foster receives a tip-off that key evidence for a major narcotics case was stashed in a disused quarry on the outskirts of London, she orders for it to be searched. From the thick sludge the drugs are recovered, but so is the skeleton of a young child.

The remains are quickly identified as seven-year-old Jessica Collins. The missing girl who made headline news twenty-six years ago.

As Erika tries to piece together new evidence with the old, she must dig deeper and find out more about the fractured Collins family and the original detective, Amanda Baker. A woman plagued by her failure to find Jessica. Erika soon realises this is going to be one of the most complex and demanding cases she has ever taken on.

Is the suspect someone close to home? Someone is keeping secrets. Someone who doesn’t want this case solved. And they’ll do anything to stop Erika from finding the truth.

From the million-copy bestselling author of The Girl in the Ice and The Night Stalker, comes the third heart-stopping book in the Detective Erika Foster series.

What Did I Think About the Story?

The Detective Erika Foster series has made it's way to the top of my "I really need an exciting audiobook listen" list and, with Dark Water, the third story in the series, the mystery and drama jumps up a notch. As the synopsis says, Erika is again presented with a historic case that will test every fiber of her resolve and abilities, a case that could bring her and those she cares about closer and closer to danger. At the same time the reader/listener has a front row seat to Erika's continuing process of mourning her husband (who died in the field as part of an investigation that Erika led) while also craving companionship and contact. She's tough as nails, always ready to act first and ask for forgiveness later, but also funny and vulnerable and caring. She's the full package and the exact sort of character I can't help but go back to over and over again.

I think what I love most about this series is that the same characters you begin enjoying in book one come back in subsequent installments, with a few added here and there to expand your appreciation of this world that author Robert Bryndza has built. The team that Erika has built around herself is excellent, each adding their own personality to the mix and giving you a little bit of everything - drama, humor, aggravation - all within the scope of a strict and ordered law enforcement system. There are rules to be followed, but that doesn't mean Erika doesn't create a little wiggle room when needed for her team to solve the case.

I also really enjoy learning more about British crime procedures. For this particular case, Erika and her team are forced to cypher through boxes upon boxes of evidence from the original Jessica Collins disappearance case, something that, while absolutely necessary in case there are clues hidden within that information, takes an incredible amount of time, time which wears on Jessica's family and the media at large as everyone is desperate to know how Jessica ended up in that quarry. It's fascinating and the author does a great job of showing you the police work that is actually behind these sensational sorts of cases.

I can't forget to mention how wonderful the narrator of the Detective Foster series is. Jan Cramer gives personality and differentiation to each of the characters, making it so I'm not sure I would want to experience an Erika Foster novel without her. Her skills at narration combined with Robert Bryndza's excellent writing just make this such an enjoyable experience.

Dark Water is a wonderful edition to Erika Foster's story. It advanced her personal story - and those of her team - while also presenting a new case for the reader/listener to puzzle over. I will fully admit that I did not guess at what happened to Jessica Collins or who was involved in her disappearance and death. I am itching to listen to the next installment and see what kind of excitement Erika (and Bryndza) will bring to us next.

What Did I Think About the Cover?

It's perfect, as are the other covers in this series! I seem to be drawn to covers with people under water, so this one in particular is eye-catching for me. Whoever is in charge of coming up with these covers is excellent.

My Rating: 4.5/5.0

I purchased a copy of Dark Water for my own library. All opinions are mine alone. To find more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, see Goodreads HERE.

Thursday, August 9, 2018

Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful!

One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at Historical Fiction Reader, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.

So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....

This is another case of a cover that is so intricately woven with imagery and beauty that I can't stop looking around for new things to see! The golden color against the black backdrop makes everything stand out and gives it a sense of richness and glamour. The design makes such a lovely frame for the title and I just think who ever came up with this cover is an artist.

Let's read on to see what the story is about...

Captivating and boldly imaginative, with a tale of sisterhood at its heart, Rena Rossner's debut fantasy invites you to enter a world filled with magic, folklore, and the dangers of the woods.

Raised in a small village surrounded by vast forests, Liba and Laya have lived a peaceful sheltered life - even if they've heard of troubling times for Jews elsewhere. When their parents travel to visit their dying grandfather, the sisters are left behind in their home in the woods.

But before they leave, Liba discovers the secret that their Tati can transform into a bear, and their Mami into a swan. Perhaps, Liba realizes, the old fairy tales are true. She must guard this secret carefully, even from her beloved sister.

Soon a troupe of mysterious men appear in town and Laya falls under their spell-despite their mother's warning to be wary of strangers. And these are not the only dangers lurking in the woods...

The sisters will need each other if they are to become the women they need to be - and save their people from the dark forces that draw closer.

Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Synopsis

Camden, NJ, 1948. When 11 year-old Sally Horner steals a notebook from the local Woolworth's, she has no way of knowing that 52 year-old Frank LaSalle, fresh out of prison, is watching her, preparing to make his move. Accosting her outside the store, Frank convinces Sally that he’s an FBI agent who can have her arrested in a minute—unless she does as he says.

This chilling novel traces the next two harrowing years as Frank mentally and physically assaults Sally while the two of them travel westward from Camden to San Jose, forever altering not only her life, but the lives of her family, friends, and those she meets along the way.

Based on the experiences of real-life kidnapping victim Sally Horner and her captor, whose story shocked the nation and inspired Vladimir Nabokov to write his controversial and iconic Lolita, this heart-pounding story by award-winning author T. Greenwood at last gives a voice to Sally herself.

What Did I Think About the Story?

I have to admit that I have not read Nabokov's Lolita and was not aware of Sally Horner and what she went through before reading Rust & Stardust. Now that I've read this story I know I will never forget Sally or her tragic experience. This novel is told with such tenderness and heartache, as well as a rawness that feels so real and all the more devastating because of it. It gives voice to a little girl who's life was unthinkably painful and yet hopeful.

The synopsis above gives you the basic outline of the story. What the synopsis doesn't tell you is just how sweet, open, and innocent Sally's voice is in the beginning. She's a lonely, poor girl who is desperate for friends as her home life is wanting after her sister has gotten married and moved out, leaving Sally alone with a mother crippled by her own arthritis and lacking of choices or resources. Sally tries to take a notebook as a sort of initiation into a group of rich girls who could never have known the devastation their joke on Sally would bring about. When she's taken by Frank LaSalle, a master at manipulation, she doesn't know how to get herself out of the situation that he's pushed her into. So goes the story and, as it unfolds, with so many people coming into contact with Sally and endless chances for someone, anyone, to do something to rescue her, her voice changes and she continues to lose her inward innocence and hope. I won't say too much more in case anyone doesn't know how Sally's story ends up, but I found it to be beyond sad and tragic, even when it seems hope might be about to surface for her at last. I so wanted everything to be different for Sally, but real life isn't built on only happy endings and the author kept to the facts as much as possible.

The story is told through a multitude of perspectives, from Sally herself, her mother, her sister, a little girl she wanted desperately to be friends with, and a myriad of people who Sally met and touched as she and LaSalle moved across the country. If you are anything like me you will scream at some of these people who are so close to helping rescue Sally and will want to rescue her yourself, if only able to. I felt physically sick reading about LaSalle and thinking about the irrevocable harm he did to this poor girl!

I should warn readers that this can be graphic and hard to read at times. This story is, after all, about the kidnapping and abuse of a minor and those that are triggered by these sorts of situations should be forewarned. For those that are able to, I think it's important for readers to learn about Sally and what she experienced, not only so her voice is not forgotten but in the hopes that maybe her story can help others see warning signs and act to prevent other young girls from going through the same thing.

While I can't say I "enjoyed" reading Rust & Stardust I so appreciated getting to learn Sally's story. The author includes an excellent author's note at the end of the story that details the fact from the fiction, which I always appreciate. T. Greenwood should be commended for bringing Sally's voice to life as she did such an amazing job of giving a wide-ranging and all-encompassing view of what this sweet little girl went through. I know I'll never be quite the same.

What Did I Think About the Cover?

This cover perfectly represents some important aspects of the story which you won't discover until you read it. But, after finishing the book, I find this cover to be touching and poignant and bittersweet. I love it!

My Rating: 4.0/5.0

I received an advanced ebook copy of Rust & Stardust in orderto participate in the Book of the Month Reader's Committee selection process. All opinions are mine alone. To find more information about the book, including other reviews and where you can purchase a copy for yourself, see Goodreads HERE.

Thursday, August 2, 2018

Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful!

One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at Historical Fiction Reader, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.

So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....

I find this cover to be both captivating and disturbing. The vividness of the red cloth around this young woman's eyes against the paleness of her skin immediately draws my eye to the fabric and, on top of it, the title. I also love the scratched up layer over the image...it makes me think of a long forgotten, or much handled, photo. It's simply striking!

Continue on to learn more about the story behind this cover...

The riveting story of a woman convicted of a brutal crime, the prison psychologist who recognizes her as his high-school crush—and the charged reunion that sets off an astonishing chain of events with dangerous consequences for both

As an inmate psychologist at a state prison, Frank Lundquist has had his fair share of surprises. But nothing could possibly prepare him for the day in which his high school object of desire, Miranda Greene, walks into his office for an appointment. Still reeling from the scandal that cost him his Manhattan private practice and landed him in his unglamorous job at Milford Basin Correctional Facility in the first place, Frank knows he has an ethical duty to reassign Miranda’s case. But Miranda is just as beguiling as ever, and he’s insatiably curious: how did a beautiful high school sprinter and the promising daughter of a congressman end up incarcerated for a shocking crime? Even more compelling: though Frank remembers every word Miranda ever spoke to him, she gives no indication of having any idea who he is.

Inside the prison walls, Miranda is desperate and despairing, haunted by memories of a childhood tragedy, grappling with a family legacy of dodgy moral and political choices, and still trying to unwind the disastrous love that led to her downfall. And yet she is also grittily determined to retain some control over her fate. Frank quickly becomes a potent hope for her absolution—and maybe even her escape.

Propulsive and psychologically astute, The Captives is an intimate and gripping meditation on freedom and risk, male and female power, and the urges toward both corruption and redemption that dwell in us all.

Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):

Friday, July 27, 2018

If you're anything like me you've got a book wish list so long there is no way you will ever be able to read through it all. And, on top of that, it's never ending because you just can't stop adding more books to it! To try and organize myself I'm sharing 5 books from my wish list that I'm most excited to get to, usually with a common theme, on the last Friday of each month. I know a number of excellent bloggers who will be doing similar posts and I'll be sure to link to their posts as well so you can see all the goodies we're excited about and, hopefully, add a few new books to your own wish list. I'll also link the titles to Goodreads where you can read reviews and find the various ways to purchase a copy of the books if they sound like your style. I really hope you enjoy and let me know if you've read any of these or have others you would add to the list.

I recently noticed that I spend a lot of time browsing the Book Depository website. I've even gotten a few friends addicted to the site. I often find that I prefer the covers of the UK version of books and, therefore, end up adding many, many editions from there to my wish list. Below I've included 5 such books, recently discovered on the site and which I now long to get my hands on!

In August 1912, three friends set out on an adventure. Two of them come home.

Tom, Jimmy and Itzhak have grown up together in the crowded slums of Walworth. They are used to narrow streets, the bustle of East Lane market, extended families weaving in and out of each other's lives. All three boys are expected to follow their father's trades and stay close to home. But Tom has wider dreams. So when he hears of a scouting trip, sailing from Waterloo to Sheppey and the mouth of the Thames - he is determined to go. And Itzhak and Jimmy go with him.

Inspired by real events, this is the story of three friends, and a tragedy that will change them for ever. It is also a song of south London, of working class families with hidden histories, of a bright and complex world long neglected. London Lies Beneath is a powerful and compelling novel, rich with life and full of wisdom.

Estelle is the headstrong daughter of Fleur, a Resistance legend who disappeared during the Great War, supposedly killed while helping Allied soldiers to escape.

Christa, an only child, longs to break free from the constraints of London suburbia, and fantasises about the ethereal Belgian heroine who saved her father.

When Estelle comes looking for the truth about the mother she believes deserted her, an intense friendship grows between the two young women. Estelle invites Christa to De Eikenhoeve, her family's idyllic country estate. There, Christa encounters Estelle's two brothers - brooding, tempestuous Robbe and dependable, golden-haired Pieter - and during that long hot summer, passions run high. When war breaks out Christa is forced to return home, but not before she has done something she will regret for the rest of her life.

Christa arrives back in England a changed woman, while Estelle decides to follow in her mother's footsteps and join the Resistance. Little do they dream that Fleur was betrayed by someone close to them, and that the legacy of this betrayal will have heartbreaking consequences for them all.

"My turn!" says Uncle Leader, who has been watching us. He wants his photograph taken with me too. "You, Helga Goebbels, are my favourite girl in the whole world," he says. "If only you were 20 years older!" He leans over me, his smell like the furniture in the servants' quarters. The photographer is laughing. Papa is laughing. But I don't take any notice. I turn right away and stare at the camera.

Chocolate Cake with Hitler tells the remarkable story of Helga Goebbels, twelve-year-old daughter of the Nazi Party's head of propaganda, who spent the last ten days of her life cooped up in Adolf Hitler's bunker in Berlin.

As defeat closes in on the Germans, life in the bunker becomes increasingly fraught. There's chocolate cake every day for tea with Uncle 'Leader', but Helga cannot help noticing that all is not well among the grown-ups. Her parents grow more and more distracted and tense, the bunker grows daily more empty and, as even the soldiers who have been guarding them take their leave, Helga is faced with a terrible truth. Perhaps her golden childhood has not been all that it seemed...

When Dorothea's charitable work leads her to Oakgate Prison, she is delighted with the chance to explore her fascination with phrenology and test her hypothesis that the shape of a person's skull can cast a light on their darkest crimes. But when she meets teenage seamstress Ruth, she is faced with another theory: that it is possible to kill with a needle and thread. For Ruth attributes her crimes to a supernatural power inherent in her stitches.

The story Ruth has to tell of her deadly creations – of bitterness and betrayal, of death and dresses – will shake Dorothea's belief in rationality and the power of redemption.

Can Ruth be trusted? Is she mad, or a murderer?

The Tattooist of AuschwitzFor readers of Schindler's List, The Man Who Broke into Auschwitz and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas comes a heart-breaking story of the very best of humanity in the very worst of circumstances.

I tattooed a number on her arm. She tattooed her name on my heart.

In 1942, Lale Sokolov arrived in Auschwitz-Birkenau. He was given the job of tattooing the prisoners marked for survival - scratching numbers into his fellow victims' arms in indelible ink to create what would become one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust.

Waiting in line to be tattooed, terrified and shaking, was a young girl. For Lale - a dandy, a jack-the-lad, a bit of a chancer - it was love at first sight. And he was determined not only to survive himself, but to ensure this woman, Gita, did, too.

So begins one of the most life-affirming, courageous, unforgettable and human stories of the Holocaust: the love story of the tattooist of Auschwitz.

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Check out these lovely blogs for more books to add to your wish list(updated as they become available):